Pile forming apparatus



v May 30, 1933. M. M. UPSON PILE? FORMING APPARATUS Filed March 4, 1931 FIGA.

FIG.1.

IIIIII ATTORNEYS It frequently happens in Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .MAXWL'ELL M. UPSON, OF ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSVIGNOR TO RAYMONiD CONORETE PILE' COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION NEW JERSEY l PILE romaine APPARATUS Application filed March 4, V1931. Serial No. 519,949.

the concrete pile industry that piles are required of lengths greaterl than can be formed with the usual equipment, and the principal object of the present invention is to disclose ways and means for adding length to a concrete pile at its lower end.

It has been customaryto add extra length by building up the top of the pile, but it has been found that substantial savings in cost can be effected by making the addition at the bottom of the pile where its diameter may be less than at its top. v

Further and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims, and from the accompanying drawing which illustrates what is now considered the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing: Y

Fig. 1 is a view, largely in section, of the combination of a non-taper corrugated u per shell with a non-taper corrugated lower s ell.

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section, of a tapered core and shell, the lower part of the core being detachable. a

Fig. 3 is a view of the lower portion of the apparatus of Fig. 2, but with the detachable part of the Core replaced by a non-taper eX- tension encased in a plain shell.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section of the boot at the bottom of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section of a modified form of joint between upper and lower shells.

Referring to Fig. 1, numeral designates the lower end of a hollow, non-taper, driving core provided with spaced blocks 12, each pivoted to core 10 as at 14, and each provided with .a corrugated outer surface adapted to engage or disengage the walls of corrugated shell 16 when the shell is slipped over core 10. Blocks 12 are operable by rotatable rod 18, through the instrumentality of nuts 2O and links 22, as described in my United States Patent No. 1,491,832, issued April 29, 1924.

. For the purpose of the present invention the lower end of core 10 is provided with a coupling plug 24, screwed into the core and counterbored from below to receive `the tenon 26 of the hollow lowercore section 28. A pin 30 passing through yplug 24 and tenonl 26 serves to detachably lock the two core sections together. Threaded into the lower end 'of core section 28 is a pin 32on which hangs a driving cushion material;

Surrounding core 28 is a shell 36 `to the lower end of which is attached a driving-shoe 38, preferably of larger'diameter than shell 36 so as to plow a hole of larger diameter than 34of wood or other suitable lshell 36. The upper end of shell ,36 is joined to the lower end of upper shell 16 by a coupling boot 40. As illustrated, both upper and lower shell sections-16 .and 36 respectively are corrugated, and coupling 40 is'threaded f, onto both sections. However, the shellsec'- tions may be plai'nif desired, o'r'either one maybe plainv and the other corrugated, in which case the joint between themmay be formed as best suits the particular combination of shells in use. n The Lipper end of a lower section 42 may even lbe simply belled out as .at 44 to slip over the lower end of an upper shell section 46, asindi'catedin Fig. 5.

'The' driving impact is applied to shell 16 by engagement of core 10 with the walls thereof, as, for instance, through the instrumentality of blocks 12, and at the same time the impact is communicatedby core section 28 through cushion 34 to shoe 38 whereby shell section 36 is drawn into the ground by tension. It is apparent therefore that the lower shell section is drawn down lentirely by tensile force applied at its lower end, while the upper shell is caused to follow the lower shell by non-tensile forces applied to its walls. In employing the wordnon-tensile, I refer to a force which is applied directly to the walls and preferably, tothe inner surface of the walls of the upper shell section. There may be'developed in this Vnontensile force both a tension action and a compressive action but it is not solely a force like that appliedito the lower section whichls in spaced relation and move equal distances with each blow of the driving hammer. I shall refer in the claims to non-tensile forces and this term is to be understood with the foregoing explanation.

It is difficult, in practice, to make the lower shell 36 of exactly the proper length to accommodate core section 28 and cushion 34. Therefore an important advantage follows when section 36 is corrugated, because the corrugations are readily distortable either in compression or in tension, thereby permitting section 36 to automatically adjust its length while being driven.

It will be noted that shell section 36 'is of smaller diameter than section 16 whereby the important advantage is obtained kof being able to nest the lower shell sections within the upper sections when shipping shells from the factory to the job, thereby greatly yreducing freight charges. Y It has been customary to nest the sections of tapered shells, but, so far as I am aware, it has never before been possible to nest non-tapered shells for shipping purposes.

Fig. 2 shows a tapered solid core 48 adapted for driving tapered concrete shell sections 50 substantially in the usual manner except that the lower end 52 of the core is attached with tenon 54 and pin 56 to the upper core body so as to be readily detachable therefrom for replacement by a longer, non-taper core section 58 (Fig. 3) when it is necessary to add length to the pile. The upper end of core 48 is provided with a hydraulic device 60 and pusher rods 62 by means of which the core is released from the shells after driving.

In Fig. 3 the lower core section 58 is surrounded by a plain cylindrical shell 64 having its upper. end flared out as at 66 to surround the lower end of the lowest tapered concrete shell section 50, contact being made between flare 66 and the metallic reinforcing casing 68 which surrounds each section 50. y A modified form of driving shoe is shown in Fig. 3 and in the enlarged detail view of Fig. 4. It comprises a. cup-shaped member 70 welded at 72 and 74 to the lower end of the shell 64. In order to be able to make weld 74, the lower part of member 70 is cut away on line 76 to provide suflicient opening for the welding tool. A sheet metal boot 78 is slipped over the member 70 to complete the structure. i

In the embodiment of Fig. 3 the same result is obtained as in Fig. 1, i. e. the lower shell is .drawn down by tension, while the upper shell is forced down by engagement of the core with the walls of the shell. v Itis to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment herein illustrated and described but may be used in other ways without departure from its Spirit as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for driving a multi-section metal shell for a concrete pile, comprising in combination, a core having an upper portion adapted to engage the walls of the upper part of the shell and a lower portion adapted to engage the bottom ofthe lower part of the shell, andmeans for driving said core, whereby the lower part of the shell is drawn downwardly by tension applied to it by the core, and the upper part of the shell is forced downwardly by engagement of the inner surface of its walls with the core.

2. Apparatus for driving a multi-section metal shell for a concrete pile comprising in combination, a core within said shell and means for driving said core to carry said shell into theground, the lower part of the shell being carried down by virtue of tension applied thereto by said core and the upper part of the shell being carried down by virtue of engagement of the core with the inner surface ofthe walls thereof. i

3. Apparatus for forcing a multi-section metallic pile shell intou the ground comprising in combination, means for drawing down the lower part of the shell solely by tension applied at its bottom end, and means for simultaneously driving the upper part of the shell solely by non-tensile force applied directly to inner surface of said upper part.

4. The method of forcing a multi-section metallic pile shell into the ground by drawing down the lower part of the shell by tensile force applied thereto and simultaneously driving the upper part of the shell solely by a non-tensile force applied to the inner surface of the walls thereof.

V5. Thev invention setvforth in claim 3 in which said drawing and driving means comprise a core within the shell.

6. The invention set forth in claim 3 in which means is provided for plowing a hole in the ground in advance of the shell.

7. Apparatus for forcing a multi-part pile shell into the ground, comprising in combination, a driving shoe attached to the bottom of the shell, a core resting on said shoe within the shell, means engaging the upper part of said core with the inner wall surface of the upper part of the shell, and means for driving said core, whereby said shoe and the upper part of the shell are thrust downwardly by said core, while the lower part of the shell is drawn downwardly solely by virtue of its connection with said shoe.

8. Apparatus for forcing into the ground a multi-part pile shell having upper and lower sections, a shoe attached to the bottom of the lower section, a core within the shell, having` an upper portion adapted to engage the upper shell section and having aV lower portion within the lower shell section and adapted to thrust downwardly on said shoe, and means for automatically adjusting the relative lengths of said lower core portion and said lower shell section.

9. A pile shell having upper and lower sections, a shoe attached to the bottom of the lower section, said upper section being adapted to engage a driving means and said lower section being` adapted to be drawn downwardly by means operating on said shoe only, the lower shell section being adapted to automatically vary its length during the driving operation in order to adjust the position of said shoe relatively to said operating means.

10. A pile shell adapted for driving by a core having an upper section and an eXtension extending downwardly therefrom, said shell having an upper section adapted to engage the upper core section, and a lower section adapted to be drawn into the ground by the core extension, said lower shell section being automatically adjustable during the driving operation to accommodate its length to that of the core extension.

11. The invention set forth in claim 10 in which the length adjusting means comprises circumferential corrugations on said lower shell section.

12. Apparatus for forcing a pile shell into the ground, comprising in combination, a core having an upper part tapered to engage a tapered shell section and a lower part adapted to engage the lower end only of a non-tapered shell section; and means for driving said core whereby said upper and lower shell sections are simultaneously forced into the ground.

13. Apparatus for forcing a pile shell into the ground, comprising in combination, a core having an upper part tapered to engage a tapered shell section and a.' lower part adapted to engage only the lower end of a non-tapered shell section; means for driving said core whereby said upper and lower shell sections are simultaneously forced into the ground; and means for simultaneously withdrawing said upper and lower core parts from the shell.

14. Apparatus for forcing into the ground a corrugated pile shell having upper and lower sections, comprising in combination, a core having an upper part adapted to engage the inner wall surface of the upper pile section and a lower part adapted to engage only the bottom end of the lower pile section; and means for driving said core whereby said upper and lower shell sections are simultaneously forced into the ground.

15. Apparatus for forcing into the ground a corrugated pile shell having upper and lower sections, comprising in combination, a core having an upper part adapted to engage the inner wall surface of the upper pile section and a lower part adapted to engage only the bottom end of the lower pile section; `means for driving said core whereby said upper and lower shell sections are simultaneously forced into the ground; and means for simultaneously withdrawing said upper and lower core parts from the shell.

16. Apparatus for forcing a pile shell into the ground by tension applied at its bottom end, comprising in combination, a core within the shell, a cup-shaped member welded to the bottom of said shell and adapted to lit the bottom of said core, and a boot enclosing said member and extending upwardly around said shell beyond the point of attachment of said member to said shell, said member having an opening in its surface for convenience in welding said member to said shell.

17. A concrete pile shell comprising in combination, an upper non-tapered section and a lower non-tapered section attachable to the lower end of said upper section to be driven simultaneously, said lower section being of such diameter as to permit nesting it inside said upper section when the sections are unattached, for the'purpose set forth.

18. A pile shell comprising non-tapered sections of different diameters and means for coupling said sections end to end to be driven simultaneously, said sections being of dilferent diameters whereby they may be nested one within the other for the purpose set forth.

19. A pile shell comprising an upper corrugated section, a lower plain section, and means for coupling sections end to end to be driven simultaneously, said plain section being of less diameter than said corrugated section whereby said sections may be nested for shipping purposes.

20. The method of driving a multiple section pile shell which consists in driving an upper portion of the pile by a direct force applied to the walls thereof, and driving simultaneously a lower portion of the pile shell solely by a tensile force.

21. A core for driving a pile shell into the ground having an upper section, a nontapered lower section and means for detachably connecting said lower section to said upper section whereby a tapered lower section may be readily substituted for the tapered lower section.

In testimony whereof I hereto aiix my signature.

MAXWELL M. UPSON. 

